Flexible roof coverings and support attaching means therefor



March 15, 1966 SEDELMAYER 3,239,983

FLEXIBLE ROOF COVERINGS AND SUPPORT ATTACHING MEANS THEREFOR Filed Feb. 6, 1962 United States Patent 3,239,983 FLEXlirLE RUUF QQVERHNGE AND SUPPGRT ATTAGHIING MEANS THEREFOR Erich Sedehnayer, 29 Angeligasse, Vienna, Austria Filled Feb. 6, 1962, fier. No. 171,431 Claims priority, application Austria, Feb. 16, 1961, A 1,303/61 Claims. (til. 52--4i8) The object of the invention is a covering in the form of a flexible webformed sheet which is especially suitable for roofs.

The invention is characterized in that on that side of the covering which faces the surface to be covered there are provided continuous ribs or flaps which are throughout connected with the inner surface of the covering. According to a further object of the invention the fundamental body of the covering is formed to be uneven and the flaps are provided transversely to the uneven portions. Preferably the flaps or ribs conform substantially to the uneven portions of the fundamental body. The uneven portions are provided advantageously in the form of corrugations or depressions and/ or elevations. Those portions can also be built by bucklings.

Further objects of the invention will be explained thereunder with respect to the drawings enclosed. Therein FIG. 1 shows a roof construction in which a covering in the form of a flexible sheet with ribs overlies a plurality of roof rafters. FIGS. 2 and 3 show a covering according to the invention with elevations and corrugations, respectively. In the FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the flexible sheet is shown with bucklings. In the FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, ribs are shown with various profiles.

FIG. 1 of the drawing shows a covering 1 in the form of a flexible sheet. On that side of the covering which faces the surface to be covered continuous ribs 2 are provided. The ribs 2 are throughout connected with the inner surface of the covering 1. A covering of such kind can be manufactured of any flexible material, for instance of a synthetic or plastic. In FIG. 1 of the drawing the covering is shown substantially in that form in which it is discharged by the machine and will be seen to overlie a plurality of roof rafters RR on which it is supported in such a manner that the flaps or ribs 2 extend alongside the roof rafters and are secured thereto by such fastening means as nails or screws FM.

Primarily the fundamental body of the covering is even. For increasing the stability and for improving the view the fundamental body is provided with uneven portions. These uneven portions can be corrugations, elevations and bucklings. Preferably these portions are of an elongated form, the longitudinal axis of said uneven portions extending in the direction of the width of the sheet. The ribs are arranged transverse to the longitudinal axis of the uneven portions, thus said ribs preferably extend in the longitudinal direction of the sheet.

The FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawing show coverings whereon the uneven portions are provided in the form of elevations 4, and in the form of corrugations 3, respectively. In the FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 coverings are shown whereon the uneven portions are for-med by bucklings 5. Due to these bucklings the fundamental body of the covering for instance according to FIG. 4 is formed to have a cross sec tion which is in the form of bonded triangles 6. In FIG. 5 a covering is to be seen wherein due to the bucklings the fundamental body is given the form of bonded rectangles '7. FIG. 6 shows a fundamental body the cross section of which is in the form of bonded trapezes.

As especially may be learned from the FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 the ribs substantially conform to the uneven portions of the fundamental body. Thereby it is guaranteed especially that the covering may be fastened at any required place. Besides, this kind of forming the covering adds to increase its stability.

For transporting the covering it is of advantage if it can be rolled up. For eliminating the opposition which the ribs naturally will put up against rolling up the ribs 2 are provided with clearances or cutaway portions 9. Said clearances 9 in the ribs make it possible, too, to provide the covering with uneven portions 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, the ribs always conforming to the inner surface of the covering and being secured thereto. Advantageously the ribs are formed in one piece with the covering. As mentioned already the uneven portions of the covering are provided by elevations, depressions or bucklings. Suitably the clearances 9 are provided at those places where the tension or compressive strain is most intense, that is especially at the places of bucklings 5.

The ribs also can be provided with profiles as shown in FIGS. 7-9. Said profiles serve to provide a self-acting connection by means of the border ribs of two adjacent coverings. For this purpose the rib 2b is arranged within the scope of the one edge 15 of a covering 1 has projections it); those projections 10 engage corrugations or excavations 13 of the rib 2a within the scope of the other edge 14 of an adjacent covering 1 if the covering is in its Working position. The profiles also can be formed in such a manner that only on the rib 2a or additionally there are provided projections 12 which in turn engage corrugations or excavations 11 on the rib 212. If the covering for instance is used as a roof sheathing and the one covering 1 is fixed by nailing the rib 2a to a rafter, the adjacent covering 1 need only to be pushed with its edge 15 over the preceding covering 1 and thus is fixed already along this edge by the engagement of the rib profiles. This makes it possible for one laborer only to mount the covering. Suitably the ribs 2 are arranged in such a manner that their distance one from the other cor responds to the usual distance of rafters or to a multiple thereof. In order to provide an adequate overlap of the coverings if they are in their mounted position the ribs on the one edge 14 of the covering are arranged substantially directly at this edge 14 while the ribs within the scope of the other edge 15 of the covering are provided in some distance from this edge 15.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown. For instance, the depressions 3 and the elevations 4 may be provided also as continuous such portions. Further the uneven portions may be arranged also in the longitudinal direction of the covering, while in this case the ribs will be arranged transversely thereto that is to say in the direction of the breadth of the covering. Finally the uneven portions can have any suitable form. Of course, the ribs can also be arranged parallel to the uneven portions.

1 claim:

1. A covering for roofs and the like comprising, in combination, an elongated sheet of flexible plastic material having a first edge and an opposite second edge, said sheet being formed with elongated depressions on one and corresponding projections on the other side thereof respectively arranged in rows extending in one direction of said sheet; and a plurality of elongated, longitudinally subdivided parallel fiaps of sheet material extending spaced from and substantially parallel to each other and transverse to said rows and each being connected along one edge thereof to said sheet projecting from one surface of the same, said plurality of flaps including a first flap extending along said first edge of said sheet and at least one further flap arranged spaced from both said first and said opposite second edge of said sheet, with the spaces between the flaps themselves, and the space between said further flap and said opposite second edge of said sheet being free and unobstructed, so that the sheet portion between said further flap and said opposite second edge may overlie another covering along an edge thereof which corresponds to said first edge, while roof rafters may be received in said spaces and said covering may be secured to said roof rafters by fastening said flaps thereto at a plurality of spaced-apart locations.

2. A covering for roofs and the like comprising, in com bination, an elongated sheet of flexible plastic material having a first edge and an opposite second edge; reinforcing means projecting from one surface of said sheet; and a plurality of elongated, longitudinally subdivided parallel flaps of sheet material extending substantially parallel to said first and second edges of said sheet from one to the other end thereof and each being connected along one edge thereof to said sheet and projecting from said other surface of the same, each of said flaps being formed with a plurality of wedge-shaped cutouts spaced from each other in direction of the elongation of the respective flap and each cut-out diverging in Width in the direction away from its connected edge of the respective fiap to facilitate rolling of said sheet into a coil and unrolling the same, said plurality of flaps including a first flap extending along said first edge of said sheet and at least one further flap arranged spaced from both said first and said opposite second edge of said sheet, with the spaces between the flaps themselves, and the space between said further flap and said opposite second edge of said sheet being free and unobstructed, so that the sheet portion between said further flap and said opposite second edge may overlie another covering along an edge thereof which corresponds to said first edge, while roof rafters may be received in said spaces and said covering may be secured to said roof rafters by fastening said flaps thereto at a plurality of spaced apart locations.

3. A covering for roofs and the like comprising, in combination, an elongated sheet of flexible plastic material having a first edge and an opposite second edge, said sheet being formed with elongated depressions on one and corresponding projections on the other side thereof respectively arranged in rows extending in one direction of said sheet; and at least three elongated, longitudinally subdivided flaps extending spaced from and substantially parallelly to each other transversely to said rows, said fiaps each being connected along one edge thereof to said sheet projecting from one surface of the same and each having opposite its connected edge a free edge, one of the outermost elongated longitudinally subdivided flaps extending along said first edge of said sheet and the other of the outermost flaps extending spaced from both said first edge and said opposite second edge of said sheet, the spaces between said flaps themselves and the space between said other of the outermost flaps and said opposite second edge of said sheet being free and unobstructed, so that the sheet portion between said other of the outermost flaps and said opposite second edge of said sheet may overlie another covering along an edge thereof which corresponds to said first edge, while roof rafters may be received in said spaces and said covering may be secured to said roof rafters by fastening said flaps thereto at a plurality of spaced-apart locations.

4. In a roof or wall construction, in combination, a plurality of rigid elongated support members arranged substantially parallel and spaced from each other; a plurality of sheets of flexible plastic material each having a first edge and an opposite second edge and each having an outer surface and an inner surface, said sheets being arranged next to each other over said support members and abutting at least with portions of their respective inner surfaces against edge faces of said support members, each of said sheets being integrally formed with a plurality of elongated longitudinally subdivided flaps of sheet material projecting from said inner surface and being spaced from each other, said plurality of flaps including a first flap extending along said first edge of said sheet and at least one further flap arranged spaced from both said first edge and said opposite second edge of said sheet, with the spaces between the flaps themselves, and the space between said further flap and said opposite second edge of said sheet being free and unobstructed, so that the sheet portion between said further flap and said opposite second edge overlies another adjacent covering along an edge thereof which corresponds to said first edge, with said support members being received in said spaces and said flaps extending alongside said support members; and fastening means extending through said flaps into said support members and thereby securing said sheets to said support members.

5. in a roof or wall construction, in combination, a plurality of rigid elongated support members arranged substantially parallel and spaced from each other; a plurality of elongated sheets of flexible plastic material each having a first edge and an opposite second edge and each having an outer surface and an inner surface, said sheets being arranged next to each other over said support members and abutting at least with portions of said inner surfaces thereof against edge faces of said support members, each of said sheets being formed with elongated depressions on the inner and corresponding projections on the outer surface thereof and said depressions being respectively arranged in rows extending transversely of the sheet, said sheets each being further formed with a plurality of flaps integrally connected along one edge thereof to the inner surface of the sheet and projecting therefrom, said flaps extending transversely to said rows substantially parallelly to each other and spaced from each other so as to extend parallel to respective side faces of said support members,

- said plurality of flaps including a first flap extending along said first edge of said sheet and at least one further flap arranged spaced from both said first edge and said opposite second edge of said sheet, with the spaces between the flaps themselves, and the space between said further flap and said opposite second edge of said sheet being free and unobstructed, so that the sheet portion between said further flap and said opposite second edge overlies another adjacent covering along an edge thereof which corresponds to said first edge, with said support members being received in said spaces and said flaps extending alongside said support members; and fastening means extending through said flaps into said support members and thereby securing said sheets to said support members.

References Cited by the Examiner UNETED STATES PATENTS 96,922 11/1869 Jackson 52511 917,213 4/1909 Welch 52534 1,017,243 2/ 1912 Budd 52542 1,365,059 1/1921 Piccirilli 52618 1,605,513 11/1926 Connery 52573 1,706,924 3/1929 Kane 52529 2,008,640 7/1935 Fraser 52618 2,210,941 8/1940 Leernhuis 52459 2,308,442 1/1943 Diggs 52549 2,316,519 4/1943 Labaree 52629 2,483,560 10/1949 Peterson 5299 2,642,968 6/ 1953 Roush 52520 (@tir-er references on Eoliowing page) 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1957 Munger 52-598 X 12/ 1959 Reinold 52-522 2/ 1960 Black 52-588 7/ 1962 Adie 52-309 9/1963 Shelby 526 18 12/ 1963 Macquere 52-222 FOREIGN PATENTS 11/ 1958 France.

6/ 1947 Great Britain.

6 OTHER REFERENCES Architectural Record, August 1954, page 281. Sheet Metal Worker, September 1943, page 74.

5 FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM I. MUSHAKE, HENRY C. SUTHERLAND Examiners.

C. T. VAN VECHTEN, M. O. WARNECKE,

10 Assistant Examiners. 

5. IN A ROOF OR WALL CONSTRUCTION, IN COMBINATION, A PLURALITY OF RIGID ELONGATED SUPPORT MEMBERS ARRANGED SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL AND SPACED FROM EACH OTHER; A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED SHEETS OF FLEXIBLE PLASTIC MATERIAL EACH HAVING A FIRST EDGE AND AN OPPOSITE SECON EDGE AND EACH HAVING AN OUTER SURFACE AND AN INNER SURFACE, SAID SHEETS BEING ARRANGED NEXT TO EACH OTHER OVER SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS AND ABUTTING AT LEAST WITH PORTIONS OF SAID INNER SURFACES THEREOF AGAINST EDGE FACES OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS, EACH OF SAID SHEETS BEING FORMED WITH ELONGATED DEPRESSIONS ON THE INNER AND CORRESPONDING PROJECTIONS ON THE OUTER SURFACE THEREOF AND SAID DEPRESSIONS BEING RESPECTIVELY ARRANGED IN ROWS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE SHEET, SAID SHEETS EACH BEING FURTHER FORMED WITH A PLURALITY OF FLAPS INTEGRALLY CONNECTED ALONG ONE EDGE THEREOF TO THE INNER SURFACE OF THE SHEET AND PROJECTING THEREFROM, SAID FLAPS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY TO SAID ROWS SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLELY TO EACH OTHER AND SPACED FROM EACH OTHER SO AS TO EXTEND PARALLEL TO RESPECTIVE SIDE FACES OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS, SAID PLURALITY OF FLAPS INCLUDING A FIRST FLAP EXTENDING ALONG SAID FIRST EDGE OF SAID SHEET AND AT LEAST ONE FURTHER FLAP ARRANGED SPACED FROM BOTH SAID FIRST EDGE AND SAID OPPOSITE SECOND EDGE OF SAID SHEET, WITH THE SPACES BETWEEN THE FLAPS THEMSELVES, AND THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID FURTHER FLAP AND SAID OPPOSITE SECOND EDGE OF SAID SHEET BEING FREE AND UNOBSTRUCTED, SO THAT THE SHEET PORTION BETWEEN SAID FURTHER FLAP AND SAID OPPOSITE SECOND EDGES OVERLIES ANOTHER ADJACENT COVERING ALONG AN EDGE THEREOF WHICH CORRESPONDS TO SAID FIRST EDGE, WITH SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS BEING RECEIVED IN SAID SPACES AND SAID FLAPS EXTENDING ALONGSIDE SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS; AND FASTENING MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID FLAPS INTO SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS AND THEREBY SECURING SAID SHEETS TO SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS. 